Spinning-top.



No. 673,83l. Patented May 7, |90I.

F. L. COOK.

SPINNING TOP.

(Application led July 25` 1900.)

(No Model.)

*me songs persas co, PHoTmLm-m. wmwmou, D. c.

FRANCIS L. COOK, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO FRANCKE W. DICKINSON, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 673,831, dated May '7, 1901.

Application filed July 25, 1900- Serial No. 24,758. (No model.)

To all wiz/0m t may concern.-

Beit known that I, FRANCIS L. COOK, a citizen or the United States of America, and a resident of Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invent ed certain new and useful Improvements in SpinningTops,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in spinning-tops, the objects being to produce a top to be spun by the use of a cord, but by a different manipulation from that employed for spinning ordinary tops; to produce a top capable of being spun which is of a peculiar and novel form; to produce improved sounding devices in the top, and to provide, in com` bination with the top proper, having an attenuated or an elongated stem like body adapted to be wound by the spinning-cord, a socketed holder or handle in which the top may be held preparatory to spinning and from which the top may be thrown when spun or upon which holder the top may be supported while spinning by the exercise of a skilful action to be acquired.

The invention consists in the constructions and combinations of parts, all substantially as hereinafter fully described, and set forth in the claims.

The improved top is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a central vertical section through the top andthe socketed holder therefor, the spindle-like body of the top being within the socket of the holder and shown as wound in readiness to be whirled or spun and also thrown out from the socket in the holder. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the top. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3 3, Fig. l.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the views.

In the drawings, a represents the top, and b the holder,

The top is of a mushroom shape, having a flattened circular head or one that is decidedly spheroidal, as seen at c, and a comparatively thin tapered shank or stem cl, which constitutes the top-body.

The holder b is constructed with a deep axial upwardly-open socket f,of a size to freely andloosely receive therein the stem-like body of the top when wound with the spinningcord y.

As shown in Fig. l, when the wound stem of the top is set down into the socketfin the holder the top receives its support entirely by the under side of the head, which rests on the upper end of the holder, leaving the stem and surrounding cord free and loose within the inner wall of the holder, so that when the cord is drawn to spin the top there is practically no impediment or friction imparted by contact of any part of the wound top with the wall of the socketed holder.

Although the top may be turned from a single piece of wood or integrally constructed from any other suitable material, for the purposes of practicabi-lity and economy I prefer to employ a two-part construction, as shown in Fig. l, wherein the flat, circular, or spheroidal head c has the circular central socket h, while the top-body d has the upper cylindrical extension il above the shoulderj, said cylindrical portion entering with a close fit into the said socket, the bottom of the tophead coming to a rest against said s'hokulder j, and the parts are here preferably united by gluing.

I have shown the device constructed as a sounding-top, the top-head having a transverse passage 7c intersecting the opening m3, which is formed leading downwardly centrally from the upper side of the top-head. The said opening is formed step-like or of varying diameters, whereby at the base of its larger portion m is produced the rest m2 for the metallic semispheroidal centrally-apertured shell n and whereby is produced at o the rest for the reed q, it being noticed that the upper end of the extension t' terminates slightly below the top of the socket h in the top-head, whereby the upper end of the said part c' is rendered the base of a depression in which said reed is fitted. The lower portion ofthe said opening m is from the upper end of the socket h upwardly flaring, the surface thereof being substantially a reversed counterpart of the said shell n, so that the whistle-cavity at p is constituted.

I do not lay claim to a spinning-top having transverse or radial passage or passages com IOO municating with a vertical passage in which a whistle is applied, but claim herein the construction shown, whereby the lower Haring surface of the cavity m forms the rest for the semispherodal centrally-apertured shell n, Which latter part, together with the part forming the rest therefor and thereunder, makes the whistle-chamber.

The tapered spindle-like body of the top is wound with the cord, as indicated in Fig. l, and the wound body is entered Within the socketed holder b, with the extremity of the cord extending beyond the top of the holder laterally, as shown.

While graspingthe holder b in one hand and giving the quick draft on the cord the top will not only have imparted thereto a whirling motion for the spinning thereof, but it will also be given a rising motion or jump, so that it may after rising out of the holder fall to and spin upon the floor or other support therefor.

Within the mouth of the socketf in the holder is formed the annular ledge t, which may have a flat surface, as indicated by the full lines, or it may be channeled or troughlike, as indicated by the dotted lines t2 in Fig. l. Now when the cord is drawn to spin the top and to give it the rising motion the operator, by manipulation which he may acquire by practice, can have the peg or point of the top stem or body caught on the said ledge t, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. l, to spin upon the lsaid ledge of the holder, which latter is held by the hand.

The head of the top provided with the opening and passages shown and with the whistle device and the reed will when spun, because of the draft of air produced through the transverse passage, cause the simultaneous sounding of both the whistle andk the reed.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A spinning-top having a head and a central spindle-like depending stem combined with the holder bhaving an axial socket therein deeper than the stem of the top and of a size to loosely receive therein the whole length of the stem and the spinningcord wound thereon, while the head of the top rests on the upper end of the holder, substantially as described and shown.

2. The combination with the holder b having the upwardly-opening socketf provided with an internal annular edge t below its mouth, ofthe top comprising a spindling body d and a widened head c, substantially as described.

3. The top consisting of the head c having central opening m at upper side with flaring base portion m2 and downwardly opening socket h, the spindle-like body d having annular i'langej and cylindrical upper end eX- tension i fitted and secured in said socket h,

with its upper end slightly below the upper end of said socket the metallic circular centrally-apertu red device n having downwardlydeiiected edges resting on said base portion m2 the reed resting on the upper end of said extension t', and said head c and connected extension if being provided with a transverse passage la with which a reduced downward continuation ofthe openingmcommunicates, substantially as described and shown.

Signed by me at Springeld, Massachusetts, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS L. COOK.

Witnesses:-

WM. S. BELLoWs, E. M. KNIGHT. 

